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John,
Back in 2016, CrowdTangle was the analytical tool that brought the Cambridge Analytica scandal to light. CrowdTangle was able to identify the surreptitious harvesting of “psychographic profiles” of over 30 million Facebook users, which were unscrupulously sold to the campaigns of Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.
Cambridge Analytica secretly culled the 30 million Facebook users from the Friends lists of some 270,000 unwitting Facebook users of a seemingly benign app called “This Is Your Digital Life.” Without transparency tools like CrowdTangle, such appalling overreach might never be discovered.
After this scheme was exposed, Facebook brought CrowdTangle onboard to work with them semi-independently, to monitor and flag other attempts at data manipulation and to analyze the distribution of dangerous misinformation.
Now, however, Meta/Facebook has announced they will be discontinuing their work with CrowdTangle as of August 14. Facebook is abdicating its responsibility to manage data manipulation, misinformation, and the spread of hate at the very moments it matters most: just twelve weeks before the next presidential election.
As the MAGA-consumed GOP of Donald Trump continues to push the Big Lie, filled with threats and messages of hate, we need platforms like CrowdTangle more than ever. Take a moment to tell Meta’s executives they must be transparent to have any credibility at all!
Join the petition now and demand that Facebook/Meta continue using CrowdTangle to fight against the misuse of data and the spread of misinformation.
Facebook has a deplorable history of promoting inflammatory hate speech and falsehoods. The site actively directs users toward more extreme rhetoric and increases their radicalization. Its parent company, Meta, must counteract this shameful history by taking seriously their obligation to combat falsehood and misinformation.
It’s well established that extremist lies spread much faster on social media than reasonable, truthful statements. As a result, the falsehoods often reach millions of people long before any corrective information can be provided. And when an election is at stake, instead of an informed electorate, voters will approach the polls armed only with alarmist, violent exaggerations of their own views.
The independent verification of information -- and analysis of the flow of information -- is essential. Meta needs analyses like what CrowdTangle provides to maintain even the most basic level of accountability.
Click here to tell Meta/Facebook: Maintain your credibility. Don’t shut down CrowdTangle!
Thank you for guarding the guardians of Facebook.
- Amanda
Amanda Ford, Director
Democracy for America
Advocacy Fund
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